Tuesday, May 07, 2013

Destroying Public Education is a Bipartisan Affair

Just take a look at what education secretary Arne Duncan is doing, for example. He is gallivanting around Michigan hobnobbing with far right governor Rick Snyder to wage war on teachers and public schools in that state.

The state is on the verge of disaster. Detroit is being used as a guinea pig for wholesale privatization in that state.

Now tell me again Obama and Duncan are "Democrats," please.

The decision of the White House to send Duncan on a photo-op tour with Snyder was aimed at demonstrating bipartisan unity when it comes to dismantling public education and funneling public assets to private corporations.

Just last month, the Detroit News revealed a secret plot by top Snyder officials, right-wing think tank operatives and politically connected technology executives to circumvent the state’s ban on school vouchers and channel public money to privately operated schools. Under the scheme, technology firms—including those which donated to the governor’s election—would pocket public money by operating cut-rate “value schools” that replaced teachers with long distance video conferencing. (See, “Snyder administration plot to privatize Michigan schools exposed”)

In an answer to this reporter’s question about the conspiracy at a press conference following their appearance in Detroit, Duncan, looking visibly upset, claimed not to have “followed the story closely.” He said he had never supported vouchers but “we are not going to agree on every issue. I love my wife dearly, but my wife and I don’t agree on everything.”